Our Vision

What's your jam?

You can go. Take a pass.

Since 2011, we’ve been traveling the country giving youth hall passes: the permission to responsibly escort themselves to their next destination. We take our cues from students' lived experiences, aligning our direction with their intrinsic brilliance.

As a biracial Black woman, pop stars who reflected my identity (like Mariah Carey) heavily influenced me in my youth. But when it came time to apply to college, there was no college major to be a pop star. I didn't know how to connect my dreams with what was expected of me.

I know the struggle of forging a path where there wasn't one before.

Things got a little easier when the barriers to my education were alleviated by a well paid summer internship, and I no longer had to work three jobs to pay my college tuition. I grew stronger when my passions and abilities were affirmed by a mentor. I thrived when I learned to use the resources around me to transform pain into purpose.

At the Hall Pass Tour, we share an insatiable curiosity for instigating impactful collisions that nurture the next generation of great leaders, thinkers, doers, makers and creators. Our Jam Sessions create safe spaces for youth to explore who they are, who they want to become, and how they're going to get there.

Come jam with us.

Janelle

Founder, Hall Pass tour

Caton School Student Council President interview with Janelle on Jan. 24, 2018.